The Things We Remember

I had an angry, stormy day yesterday. Remember how angrily King Kong roared after he was shot by those tranquiliser darts? My brother told me I screamed even louder...and looked less attractive to boot. I snapped at anyone that talked to me, nothing went right, and everything just seemed horrible. I had so much fun yesterday.

And no, it was not PMS, thank you for asking.

But everybody has a stormy days where life is just crappy and nothing goes right. When I woke up this morning, I felt a little better. After talking to my friends (so witty and charming), even better still! And I was glad I had that stormy day yesterday, because it made me appreciate the sunny days a hundred times more.

Are you having a bad day? I hope this poem I found might make you feel better

But Don't Forget

Forget about the days when it's been cloudy,
but don't forget your hours in the sun.


Forget about the times you've been defeated
but don't forget the victories you have won.


Forget about the the mistakes that you can't change
but don't forget the lessons you have learned.


Forget about the misfortunes you have encountered,
but don't forget the times your luck has turned.


Forget about the days you've been lonely,
but don't forget the friendly smiles you've seen.


Forget about the plans that didn't seem to work right,
but don't forget to always have a dream.

The next is a poem that I always read when I'm unreasonably angry at anyone - usually those I love the best sadly. It was a poem that was discovered hanging on Mother Teresa's wall, reminding her everyday what to do when even your best efforts are rejected.

People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be Kind anyway.

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and
some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

It's okay to be sad, or angry, or just plain tired. We recommend five minutes of punching and  screaming into a pillow in the privacy of your room :D  But no matter what,  keep going in life and keep going with a smile :) Because in the end, someone will always see your smile - even if you don't see them looking.

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)

The Good Life

I don't know about you, but during these monotonous study days sometimes I think of the incoming exams and feel like running around like a panicked animal. After all these exams determine the rest of our lives don't they? What happens if we don't do well? What happens if we don't succeed? And then I read this story, and realised that it's all a matter of perspective in the end.


An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The businessman complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied only a little while.

The businessman then asked why he didn't stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs. The businessman then asked, but what do you do with the rest of your time? The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos; I have a full and busy life, señor."

The businessman scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and I could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor and eventually open your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City where you would run your expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But señor, how long will this all take?" To which the businessman replied, "15-20 years." 
"But what then, señor?" The businessman laughed and said, "That's the best part! When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions." 
"Millions, señor? Then what?" The businessman said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."


This story always reminds me that success looks different to everybody, and to appreciate the simple pleasures. And even though I'll always have this desire to succeed (why James Ruse why?), I think that as long as I have God and those I love with me, I'll be happy.


So what about you? What do you want from life?


Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)

The Plot of Potatoes

A story with a twist that twisted my heart. You can tell me your verdict :)

There was once a man whose father was incredibly proud of him. Everywhere the father went, he would tell people about his wonderful, fantastic boy, unable to keep from boasting about his son's successful job, his down-to earth nature. In return the man also loved his father deeply, although secretly he knew he was not nearly as great as his father proclaimed. There was always the threat of disappointment hanging over him - afraid that one day, his father would see his failures and faults. This stress whispered at first, then insisted, then  screamed - until it magnified into a deafening shriek that took over his mind. But we will learn more about the man's torture - and the consequences - later.

Always every year, the father and son planted potatoes in their garden. It was a ritual they accomplished together and although neither of them said it out aloud, they silently recognised it as a chance to bond. It was in the firm feel of the hoe as they dug in the earth, preparing the sods for planting. It was in the selecting of suitable potatoes to plop into the plots. This palpable sense that, as a team, they could breathe life into the soil and achieve something together. 

After weeks of watering and hilling up around the potato plants they came together again, this time to unearth the potatoes from the ground. Row by row they tugged tirelessly, smiling with pleasure as firm potatoes appeared, still attached to the roots. Later they would cut and fry home-cut chips, perhaps even whip up a potato pie. Then the man would leave once more for his apartment in the city, and the father would settle down to await his son's next visit.

Every year, both father and son looked forward tremendously to potato planting. As far back as the man could remember, they had never missed a planting together. Somehow, without fail, he had always been there to see his father's expectant face break into a smile as he handed him a hoe.

And then, it all came out. The man, shaking and angry with suppressed emotion, had done something very very bad. As time passed, the police had picked up on the small minute clues until they caught up with the man, and charged him with manslaughter. In one moment, the man went from a respected, well-loved member of the community to a filthy criminal. I always thought he looked, well, a little strange, neighbours whispered to each other over their fences. I never trusted him. 

And there was still one more thing the police wanted out of him, something they needed to completely solve their case. "Where are the bodies? Where did you put the bodies?", they asked him day and night. Yet the man shut his eyes and said nothing.

When his father heard the news, all rational thought disappeared. Disbelief and pain clouding his mind, he mustered up the courage to visit the son he had once flouted, now subdued behind a plastic panel. There were so many questions the father wanted to ask, but he struggled to say. Why did you do it? Why lie to me?

"What's... going to happen to my potatoes?" he finally got out. "Who's going to dig up the soil sods for planting? It's a big job."

"Don't Dad! please don't dig in the garden without me." The man found he could not look up at his father's face. A tear slipped out, and he opened his mouth to say more. Then the buzzer rang - time was up, and he was led back into his cell.

The very next day, the man's lawyer informed the police that the man was ready to disclose the location of the bodies. "In my father's potato garden," the man said quietly. "I buried them at night in my father's garden, and he knew nothing about it." 

His bewildered father opened the door to a force of aggressive policemen, who then carried their hoes and shovels into the back and began furiously excavating the site. At the terrible thought of corpses fertilising his potatoes, the man's father gave a cry of outrage and betrayal. How could his beloved son do such a thing to him? The policemen dug and sifted and explored, working their way through the entire potato plot. After a few hours, there was still no sign of the bodies, and the policemen began to grumble. How deep had the man buried them?

The man's lawyer, who had accompanied the police, had watched their efforts on the sidelines with some amusement. Now, he walked towards the father, holding out a folded note. "A message for you from your son."

Wondering what excuse was written on the small piece of paper, the father opened it roughly with trembling hands. 

It read : "I'm so sorry Dad. This is the best I can do."

Always Remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)

Fast and the Furious Father

It's story time! I know we haven't had one in a while so enjoy. =) A man was coming home one night, tired and irritated from another long, stressful day at work. He was looking forward to relaxing in front of the TV as he was entering the house, only to find his 5 year old son waiting for him in the living room. "Daddy, may I ask you a question?" "Yeah, sure, what is it?" replied the man. "How much money do you make an hour?" "That's none of your business! Why do you want to know?" the man said angrily. "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?" pleaded the son. "If you must know, I make $20.00 an hour." "Oh," the little boy replied, eyebrows furrowing as he bowed his head in thought. Looking up suddenly, he said, "Daddy, may I borrow $10.00 please?"

The father was furious. "If the only reason you wanted to know how much money I make is just so you can borrow some to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. I work long, hard hours everyday and don't have time for such childish games."  The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. After an hour or so, the man had calmed down and started to think he may have been a little hard on his son. Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that ten dollars, and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the the little boy's room, "Are you asleep, son?" he whispered. "No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy. "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier," said the man. "It's been a long day and I took my aggravation out on you, I'm sorry. Here's that $10.00 you asked for." The little boy sat straight up, beaming. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he excitedly replied. He took the bill and, reaching under his pillow, pulled out some more crumpled bills.  The man, seeing the wrinkled collection of notes, started to get angry again. "Why did you want more money if you already had some?" he grumbled. The little boy slowly counted out his money, then looked up at his father. "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied, his eyes alight with happiness. "Daddy, I have $20.00 now. Can I buy an hour of your time?"

Hope you liked today's story. =)


Keep safe in the holidays and remember to check back for updates about our Cranes for Hope Holiday Project! It'll be a fun day where we can all come together and do what we do best - you guessed it... make people smile. ;)

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)

A Young Man's Dreams

Once there was a young man in the world who lived an extremely unhappy life.

Orphaned before the age of three, he was adopted by strangers. He lived a life of poverty, was expelled from school, and had extremely weak health due to serious heart trouble in his teen years.

He eventually proposed to the woman of his dreams, but the wife he loved so dearly died young, early into his marriage. Alone in the world, his health problems caused him to live handi-capped and unable to experience life to the fullest. And then at the young age of forty, he died.

From outer appearances, it was clear this man had suffered the extremes of life, experienced the kind of grief most of us will never know about.

And yet, over the course of his life, he manged to write some of the most perceptive, brilliant essays and articles ever written in history. His poems and short stories achieved world-wide fame and are still read voraciously today.

In fact most students in high school have read some of his works. There is a poem of his displayed at the Huntington Library in California, that has been estimated to be worth over fifty thousand dollars - more money than the man ever saw in his lifetime.

The man's name was Edgar Allan Poe.

*
I don't know about you, but I find this incredible life story so, so inspiring. When I read it, I felt a sense of such admiration and awe. Edgar Allan Poe has taught me not to be afraid anymore, give up or let life get me down when things are tough.

Because success doesn't depend on your circumstances, but your determination, effort and passion!

I know it's a short post, but exams are coming up, so I just wanted to remind everybody to keep working hard, and don't get stressed even if it seems like things aren't going your way. As long as you keep your spirits up, it will work out :)

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket =)

A Person We Admire

Hi, I hope everyone has been staying safe and healthy :) Here's a long story that we've been saving up for a while - very long, but worthwhile to read I promise! When I read it it made me think (something I don't do often hah) about my life. What I want to do with it, and how no matter what, I'll never give up on my dreams. How about you?

Dreams

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."

"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and share a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began: "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. "You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!"

"There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change."

"Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing The Rose. She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

That's someone Lindy and I admire enormously - who reminds us no matter how you really can achieve anything you want to. People chant it like a mantra all the time these days, but it helps to havesomeone's life as a example.

Because whatever it is, you can do it.

Happiness Equals Bracket =)

We've Got the Blues

It's that time when summer is hiding around the corner, and everyday it gets little bit more sunnier and humid. Sometimes it's nice to just sit in the sun and soak up that lovely warmth - oh and I feel obliged to tell you not to forget the sunscreen kids, not risking any lawsuits right now :D

But how strange that only a month ago the weather was chilly and cold, the wind unfriendly and biting.

Things change quickly, don't they?

And the weather may be nice, but October is also another month:
Beyond Blue Anxiety and Depression Month!

The aim of Happiness Equals Bracket is for people to feel happier in a sad world. But sometimes to achieve that aim, we have to understand the enemy >:[ And depression is definitely a serious enemy.
It's easy to forget about mental illnesses because we all learnt about it in PE and it's not exactly as dramatic a disease as cancer.

Yet how many of you know it's likely someone you know, maybe even know well, suffers from depression?
Depression is a very real illness, and like any other illness it can be cured, but often we don't pick up the signs until it's too late.

And unlike a cold, depression can kill. Suicide is now the 3rd leading cause of death in 15-24yr olds. Yep, that's us.
I really wish I didn't have to refer you guys to this website, it's not a very happy one. But I read this every week and wonder how many of these people could have been saved, because we can actually help.
www.sixbillionsecrets.com
The beyond blue website has a lot of good advice, but the most important thing is to listen, support and let them talk to someone professional. The scary thing is that depression is so easy to hide. What if you just don't know how they feel?

I don't pretend to be an expert at this, but I know that sometimes things really, really suck. And when they're bad I just want someone to care, even if they don't realise they're doing it. It's worth remembering though, that like the weather, life WILL go from cold and stormy to beautiful and balmy xD!
And no matter how black the night is, dawn always comes.

So here's the simple task for you guys! It's easy and obvious - smile!And that kid that everybody picks on at school and in class? Don't. Becuase you might do more harm than you think.

I'll leave you guys with a story I read recently.

A man climbed onto a major bridge and, intending to commit suicide, jumped and fell to his death. People expressed their shock and regretted that there was nothing they could do to save him - he had jumped so quickly!
Later that day, police were going through his papers when they spotted a note. It said:
I'm walking to the bridge. If one person smiles at me, I won't jump.

Happiness Equals Bracket =)

Of Big Boulders and Buying Calendars

Just a short story today because I am (read: should get off the computer and start) studying for my exam next week haha. WAIT. I just realised the exam's this week. Turns out I should also get a calendar. =(

Bella and me are sorry that we haven't been posting as frequently recently but, rest assured, we check our blog every day to read and reply to your comments! So if you just feel like chatting or need some advice or anything, feel free to gives us a buzz. =D

Anyways, please enjoy, lovely, exquisite, captivating, delightful, stunning, splendid, terrrrrrrific readers! Buttering you guys up, me? Goodness no! =)

The Obstacles In Our Path

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.

Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

The peasant learned what many of us never understand - "Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition".

And indeed it does!

So if you guys see any huge big rocks in the middle of the path this week, take some time to heft it out of the way, yeah?

Haha no, you know I'm kidding (though if there does happen to be a big rock in the middle of the path, please do move it out of the way!).

Hope you guys got something from today's story! =)

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket. =)

Interesting Blank Walls

Once again, I'm sorry this is 50 minutes late! My excuse is that I was reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and then got caught up practicing some spells. Yes, I know I'm underage but shhh. I won't tell if you won't. ;)

I edited the story posted two weeks ago (called "The Tip") to make it clearer for you guys as some people mentioned it was a little confusing. So, gold star to anyone who can spot the different!

Anywho, since it's holidays for us and you guys have a bit more time on your hands, I've decided to post a slightly longer story today. But.. it's definitely worth it. =)

Encouragement

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his room-mate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

Then unexpectedly, a sinister thought entered his mind. Why should the other man alone experience all the pleasures of seeing everything while he himself never got to see anything? It didn't seem fair.

At first thought the man felt ashamed. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought, and only that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running in. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with that the sound of breathing.

Now there was only silence - deathly silence.

The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone. Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.

"Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you," she replied.

I don't pretend to be all-knowing and wise but there really is more to life than our own happiness, more than doing things simply for our own personal pleasure.

This elusive path to happiness? Making other people happy.

Sometimes, its easy to get carried away with your own misfortunes. We all do it. But perhaps the solution is not to buy yourself some ice cream or seek self-gain but instead look past your own problems and help someone else out - whether it be through a smile or kind words or a good deed.

Then, they'll be happy and you'll be filled with this inexplicably warm feeling and both of you will be happy. Win-win, right? =)

So, I really encourage you guys to try make someone happy this week. Anyone. You never know, sometimes all it takes is a smile, a joke, a compliment. And if it doesn't work out, Bella and me are always here, ready to laugh or smile and we're definitely open to compliments. =P

Hope your holidays have been good so far and feel free to comment with your adventures of making people happy this week!

Always remember, Happiness Equals Bracket. =)

From Flaws to Flowers

Some of you may have noticed today's story was posted exactly 1 minute before Tuesday. In case anyone was wondering, no, it wasn't because I was not bothered to post one earlier.

It's because I like to live on the edge.

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master's house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, fulfilling the purpose for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. One day, after two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it up. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day you have watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

I guess, in a way, we're all cracked pots. No one's perfect in this world (thank goodness!) and each of us have our own flaws. Yes, even me. I, too, am prone to being lazy, getting annoyed, being messy, making long lists...

Don't be afraid of your flaws - acknowledge them (I know this can be scary but bear with me) and turn them to your advantage. Turn them into something to make your Mum proud. Turn them into flowers that will grow and blossom.

Turn them into something to make you smile.

Sneaky hint for our September project: Bella and me have been busy these last few days turning our cracks into flowers. We hope you guys are ready for Spring! ;)

Until then, Happiness Equals Bracket. =)

I Scream, You Scream...

We all scream for ice cream! =)

You guys will hopefully learn two lessons from today's post.

1. Don't pull all-nighters and consequently forget to post up a story on your blog (though this can be split into sub-lessons e.g. don't leave your work until the last minute, don't bake until 2am, don't start eating aforementioned baked goods at 3am in the morning and so on).

And the second lesson is...

The Tip

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

"How much is an ice cream sundae?"

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it.

"How much is a dish of plain ice cream?" he inquired.

Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient.

"Thirty-five cents," she said brusquely.

The little boy again counted the coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed.

When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - her tip.

If you see the connection between this story and Bella's previous post, gold star for you. =)

I really am sorry this story is late guys, hope you managed to keep a smile on your face anyways. It's spring, it's almost holidays and Bella and me have a new project coming up! What's not to smile about?

That was rhetorical, no need to answer that question haha. But feel free to comment about anything else - something that made you smile, what you had for breakfast, what you're doing in the holidays. Bella and me love hearing from you guys. =)

Stay in tuned for the launch of our next project!

In the meantime, always remember Happiness Equals Bracket. =)